South Africans indicted in US on illegal hunts

PHILLIP RAWLSOctober 23, 2014

MONTGOMERY, Alabama (AP) — Two South African brothers have been indicted on charges accusing them of conspiracy to sell illegal rhinoceros hunts in Africa, money laundering and trafficking in rhino horns.

Federal prosecutors announced the indictments of Dawie and Janneman Groenewald and their safari company Thursday in Montgomery.

The indictment says the brothers traveled throughout the United States to attend hunting convention and gun shows, where they sold hunts at their ranch in Mussina, South Africa. Prosecutors say hunters paid between $3,500 and $15,000 for the illegal rhino hunts, and the rhino horns were sold on the black market.

Prosecutors say the case was brought in Alabama because Janneman Groenewald used to live near Montgomery and the safari company had bank accounts in Alabama.